The invention relates to car couplers of the rigid-jawed type such as are used in mine, industrial and railway service. Particularly in mine service the couplers may approach for coupling from substantially laterally displaced or angled positions relative to one another as to make coupling difficult or impossible. In such cases, when the couplers are so disposed as to be beyond their gathering range, the couplers may need to be manually aligned in order to assure positive coupling. Manual alignment of couplers involves the risk of injury to the trainman and is to be avoided wherever possible. Also, coupled couplers of this type usually have no means for preventing separation thereof in a vertical direction, as may tend to occur during a derailment. The invention in addition to increasing the coupler gathering range also provides positive means for precluding vertical separation of coupled couplers.